Katy Perry Surprises SoCal Mudslide Benefit; Ellen DeGeneres, Dennis Miller Part of Star-Studded Relief Effort

After thanking first responders and commending the community for helping one another, Perry on stage offered a moving quote from Japanese author Haruki Murakami: “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure the storm really is over, but one thing is certain, when you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person that walked in. And that is what this storm is all about. Thank you.”

Emceed by Dennis Miller, attendees came to see Alan Parsons & Friends: Billy Baldwin, Katherine McPhee, David Foster, Dishwalla, Don Johnson, Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, Steve Vai,T he Sisterhood Band, and Wilson Phillips.  A separate After Bash party featured David Crosby & Sky Trails, Iration, Robby Krieger of The Doors and others.

“This means the world to me,” Perry told the audience according to CNN. “This is where I flourish. My heart was broken by the tragedy, the mudslide. I’ll do anything to help this community.” Organizers reported nearly $2 million raised at the event, which took place at Bella Vista Ranch in Summerland, Calif. 

The mudslides began in January, with more than 20 people killed and two still reported missing. One victim, 14-year-old Laruen Cantin, was rescued among the debris and lost her father in the deadly mudflows.  Cantin sang “God Bless America” before Perry took the stage, CNN reported.

Courtesy Blaze PR – One805 Kick Ash Bash

TV host and Montecito resident Ellen DeGeneres also appeared at the event, reportedly telling the audience, “The news has moved on, but we have not moved on.”

The event was billed as “honoring our First Responders while raising much needed funds for emergency equipment, counseling services and survivor relief.” Tickets were $250 and first donated to first responders and their families, with proceeds benefiting Santa Barbara Police, Montecito Fire, Carpinteria/Summerland Fire, Santa Barbara City & County Fire, Santa Barbara Sheriff, Direct Relief and Santa Barbara Equine Assistance and Evacuation Team.

Before the benefit, One805 says it had raised more than $1.8 million and distributed funds for two urgently-needed mobile command centers, as well as professional counseling services for first responders emotionally affected by the disaster. 

Just weeks before the mudslide, the area was also devastated by major fires including the Thomas Fire that hit Ventura especially hard affecting venues including the Majestic Ventura Theatre.

See: Majestic Ventura Theatre ‘Back On Track’ After Thomas Fire Benefit

Christian Tierney – Kenny Loggins
performing during the One805 Kick Ash Bash

Katy Perry just wrapped up a North American arena tour with Carly Rae Jepsen, with the final date Feb. 6 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. She next heads to South America in March and will spend the year on a big international run, with dates in Mexico, Asia, Europe, Australia and South Africa.

Individual dates reported to Pollstar on Perry’s North American run include 8,782 tickets sold to Philips Arena in Atlanta Dec. 12, which grossed $950,017, 8,744 tickets sold Dec. 10 to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, which grossed $896,760, 10,243 tickets sold to BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., Nov. 19 which grossed $672,842, and 10,779 sold for Nov. 14 at the SAP Center at San Jose, which grossed $1.21 million.

She finished 2017 at No. 77 on Pollstar’s Year End Top 100 Worldwide Tours, with $28.1 million grossed on 42 shows.